Functional & Conventional Testing
Test, don't guess — but also don't test everything just because we can.
Testing can be enormously useful when it answers a specific clinical question.
It can also become expensive very quickly if we're ordering panels without knowing what we plan to do with the information.
At Sol, testing is used thoughtfully.
Before recommending a test, I consider:
What are we looking for?
Will this test give us reliable, useful information?
Will the result change what we do?
Is there a simpler or more appropriate test to start with?
Sometimes standard blood pathology tells us exactly what we need to know.
Sometimes a more specialised investigation may help us understand something conventional testing hasn't fully explained.
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Blood Pathology
Blood tests can provide valuable information about areas including:
Iron studies
B12 and folate
Vitamin D
Blood glucose, insulin regulation & HBA1c
Thyroid function and thyroid antibodies
Lipids
Liver & Kidney function
Inflammatory markers
Sex hormones
General haematology
I review results in the context of your symptoms, history and the broader clinical picture rather than treating one isolated marker as the entire story.
Gut Microbiome Testing
Comprehensive stool testing may be considered for ongoing digestive concerns such as bloating, altered bowel habits or suspected dysbiosis.
Depending on the test, it may provide information about gastrointestinal microbial patterns, digestive function and other relevant markers.
It isn't automatically necessary for every person who has ever been bloated.
Sometimes you ate too quickly.
We'll work out which category you're in.
Vaginal Microbiome Testing
Vaginal microbiome testing may be useful in some cases of recurrent vaginal symptoms such as bacterial vaginosis, thrush or other persistent changes.
Testing can help inform a more targeted approach where symptoms continue to recur or the underlying picture isn't clear.
SIBO Breath Testing
Breath testing may be considered when symptoms and history suggest small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
The test measures gases produced following consumption of a test substrate and may help guide further clinical management.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
HTMA measures mineral concentrations within a hair sample.
It may provide additional information in selected cases, but like all testing, it should be interpreted within the wider clinical picture rather than used as a standalone diagnosis.
DUTCH Testing
DUTCH testing assesses selected hormone metabolites through dried urine samples.
It may be considered where a more detailed look at hormone metabolism is clinically relevant.
It is not automatically the first port of call for every hormonal symptom, and standard pathology may sometimes be the more appropriate starting point.
Organic Acids Testing
OAT testing measures urinary metabolites associated with various metabolic processes.
It can be considered selectively where the information is likely to add something meaningful to a case.
Genetic Testing
Genetic testing can sometimes help us understand certain inherited variations relevant to health.
But your genes are not a prophecy.
A genetic variant does not automatically mean you have a disease, need a particular supplement or should reorganise your entire personality around your methylation pathway.
Results are interpreted alongside your actual health, symptoms, environment and pathology.
Interested in testing before your initial appointment?
Get in touch before booking.
Tell me briefly what you're hoping to investigate and I'll let you know whether organising testing in advance makes sense or whether I'd prefer to assess you first.